Students

Grow as a leader. Embrace your identity in Christ. Go to the unreached. Discover your unique gifting. Prepare for your future. Kairos Discipleship School is an 8 month discipleship training school (DTS) for young adults, ages 18-26. During this gap year program, you will engage in 20+ weeks of life-changing teachings, be intentionally discipled, and participate in a local, stateside, and international mission trip.

Kairos Discipleship School is designed for high school graduates ages 18-26 who desire a season committed to growing in their relationship with God. Through discipleship, leadership training, and missions, you will be challenged and encouraged to go deep and live life with God. We want you to discover your unique passions, giftings, and calling, and equip you to pursue those with excellence.

Some of our students enter the program knowing they want to be missionaries or serve in full-time ministry, and Kairos provides a launching pad for their dreams. We also have students who are unsure about their future and come with an open heart; Kairos allows them to draw close to God as they seek His plan for their life.

The definition of the word kairos is "A decisive moment or season of time that will never be repeated". It is a season you intentionally set aside to focus on walking with God, learning more about Him, and developing your strengths. Combining classroom time, group activities, small group times, and internships, you will apply what you are learning in practical ways. The goal of Kairos is not to obtain a grade or a degree, but to focus on personal application and growth. A season of Kairos will transform your heart and life.

We begin accepting applications in the fall (a year prior to the start of Kairos) and will take applications until August 15th. After August 15th, acceptance to Kairos is conditional based on host home availability. We recommend applying by spring or early summer because spots fill up, and it’s helpful to get a jump-start on support raising.

Discipleship happens best when it’s done within the context of shared experiences, which is why nearly everything we do is done in community! We’ll play together, pray together, and process the many experiences we share in an atmosphere of mutual support and care.

Throughout your Kairos experience, you’ll participate in a small group with other men or women who are in the program. This is the place where your relationships deepen, accountability happens, and where you’ll be personally challenged to live out the things God is showing you. You’ll also receive one-on-one mentoring from a Kairos staff member.

An essential part of the discipleship process you will experience in Kairos comes through dynamic teachings. On an almost daily basis, you’ll receive biblical teaching from pastors, university professors, missionaries, and business professionals who have a passion for Christ. These speakers will not only encourage and challenge you in your relationship with Christ, but also in your relationships with those around you. You’ll grow in your understanding of who God is, who you are in Christ, and your role in the expansion of His Kingdom.

Some (but not all!) of the topics covered during the Kairos school year include:

Love the outdoors? We do too … and we’re pretty serious about enjoying it! While we believe that the classroom is great, we also feel strongly that learning about God and our faith shouldn’t be limited to four walls. We use exciting outdoor activities to learn about leadership, relationships, and God Himself.

Some of these activities include camping and trekking the scenic Superior Hiking Trail, biking, cross-country skiing, and canoeing - activities that provide you a chance to practically apply outside what you’ve been learning inside.

In Kairos, we take seriously Jesus' command to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” We believe missions isn’t something that we just “do;” it’s a lifestyle. Our mission focus can be summed up in three words: Here, Near, and Far.

"Here" refers to the local outreaches that you and your classmates will participate in. You will spend time working alongside a variety of ministries and learning how they positively influence their community. Not only do these local outreaches give you a chance to make an impact, but they also expose you to many different types of ministry experiences.

Another integral part of the Kairos experience is an internship at a local church. You’ll have the opportunity to experience vocational ministry as you serve alongside pastors and lay ministry volunteers. You may serve in a youth group, children’s ministry, or on a worship team, as well as participate in ministry that happens behind the scenes. This is a fantastic way to be a part of a local body of believers!

In addition, you and your classmates will plan and lead your very own mission trip in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. This is a great way to put into practice concepts that the guest speakers and Kairos staff have been teaching you throughout the year. The whole week is yours to serve the local community as you plan, organize, lead, and debrief the trip with your classmates from beginning to end.

"Near" is ministry outside of your host city, but still within the United States. In the springtime, you will travel throughout the Midwest on our stateside mission trip. The purpose of this trip is twofold: traveling to youth groups and Christian schools to mobilize youth and young adults to be involved in missions, and experiencing first-hand opportunities to minister to deep needs in the inner city of Chicago. You’ll be working with children one day and feeding the hungry the next. It is a trip that will open your heart and eyes to the deep spiritual needs right here in our own country.

"Far" is the international mission trip that is a part of the Kairos school experience. Kairos’ international mission trip destination is currently set for Kenya. You and your teammates will be working in schools, building friendships, and challenging students in relationships, academic excellence, and Christian faith. You’ll also be involved in orphanage visitations, ministry to homeless “street families”, medical ministry, and door-to-door ministry in the slums of Korogocho. You’ll witness firsthand the divide between rich and poor, the “haves” and “have nots”, those who are filled and those who are hungry. God will use these experiences to cause you to grow, bear more fruit, and develop a deeper understanding of the needs of the world.

Community is a pretty big deal in Kairos - you could say it’s one of our foundational values! There is a strong focus on relational development within the Kairos community. You’ll develop relationships not only with other students and full-time Kairos staff members, but also with students and staff at the church where you intern.

Each Kairos participant is placed with a host home for the entire eight months of the program. From older “empty nest” couples with lots of extra room in their house to families with young children, host homes are a great place to connect with a new family as you are away from your home. Host families are truly a blessing that gives you an opportunity to learn what life looks like in different family structures.

Kairos Discipleship School is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Reign Ministries headquarters.

Kairos Minneapolis: Get immersed in the diverse cultures of Minneapolis. You will find yourself discovering how to find and worship God through art, whether enjoying a theater production, walking around an art museum, or expressing yourself creatively. Our desire to create comes from God, and you will spend time exploring His creation on the Superior Hiking Trail and the Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area. Experience God through other cultures while serving in Kenya and in your own community. The nations are coming to Minnesota, and you will have the opportunity to visit ethnic neighborhoods and places of worship. If you have a passion for the nations, Minneapolis is the place for you! Combining art, diverse cultures, outdoor adventure, and a biblical foundation, Kairos creates a unique gap year experience.

Dates & Tuition

Director of Kairos

I am from Madison, Wisconsin. In 2003 I joined Reign Ministries to help start and staff the
Kairos Discipleship School and became Director in
2011 for Kairos Minneapolis! I love seeing lives transformed as they passionately
pursue God with all their heart.